As I Go Along
by SingleDarkShade
Summary: I am making this up as I go along. - Alternate Universe
1. As I Go Along

Author's Note: This sort of came to me when I'm supposed to be writing other things so had to write it.

Enjoy.

* * *

The parlour was dimly lit with a song playing softly as their Captain sat hunched over the desk sorting through papers trying to find a new lead on Vandal Savage. Sara frowned, she knew she didn't really have any right to berate anyone about looking after their health but Gideon had asked that she help.

"You know you need to get some sleep right?" Sara said, letting the occupant of the room know she was standing there.

"I can't," the soft voice floated back, the distinctive English accent sharper than usual, "I need to find where he is."

"Miranda," Sara stepped inside, "You need to sleep."

Shaking her head Miranda glanced at Sara before she turned back to her work, "I'll sleep when I get them back."

"Please take some rest," Gideon spoke up, "Captain Hunter would not want you to make yourself ill..."

"Well he isn't here, Gideon," Miranda snapped, "And I'm now in charge."

Suddenly the lights turned off and Sara forced the smile off her face at the anger covering Miranda's.

"Gideon!"

"One of Captain Hunter's directives was that whenever you were onboard I watch over you the same as I would him," Gideon reminded her.

"And you'd just turn off the lights on him?" Sara asked interested.

There was a slight pause before Gideon replied, "If he was neglecting his health and required rest, of course."

Sara turned to the woman they were helping and shrugged, "I think you've lost this argument. Go, sleep for a few hours then get something to eat."

Miranda sighed, her hand automatically playing with the locket she wore which held a picture of her husband and son.

"They wouldn't want you to make yourself ill," Sara said softly, "You know that."

Sighing again Miranda left the parlour and walked with the former assassin through the corridors.

"You know Rip would be so much worse," Miranda sighed before laughing sadly, "And extremely bad tempered to boot."

Sara gently rested a hand on Miranda's shoulder, "I'm looking forward to meeting him."

x

Miranda let out a long sigh as the door closed. Undressing she pulled on one of Rip's t-shirts to sleep in before sliding under the covers and holding his pillow close.

"Gideon?"

"Yes, Mrs Hunter."

Miranda hugged the pillow tighter, "I need to save them."

"I know," Gideon replied softly, "I need you to save them too."

Miranda sighed, "I know Rip is your Captain but I should be able to access everything. Is there any way to connect with me temporarily?" It was a question she'd asked several times already.

"Not without returning to the Vanishing Point," Gideon told her again.

"The Time Masters wouldn't exactly welcome us with open arms since I basically stole you," Miranda punched her pillow, "I didn't finish my training, Gideon and it's been so many years since I left. I am making this up as I go along while trying to appear competent in front of the others."

"You were first in your class," Gideon reminded her, "Beating Captain Hunter in all areas."

Miranda let out a soft chuckle, "Which he hated."

"He will be very proud of how you are leading the team," Gideon assured her, "And taking care of me."

"You're his best friend," Miranda whispered as sleep pulled her down, "I couldn't let anything happen to you."

"As I cannot let anything happen to you," Gideon said softly once Miranda had fallen asleep.


	2. The Old West

Author's Note: This has suddenly become more than a one shot. These will be written as I think of them so there will be no order.

Enjoy.

* * *

Miranda sat in the study, she couldn't think of it as hers since everything around her belonged to her husband. The team were in the town, hopefully not destroying history as they hid out in the 'Wild West'.

Everything was spiralling out of control and she felt she was getting further from her goal of saving them that she wanted to scream. Then she was given a reason to do just that when the team arrived back with a man who didn't belong on the ship.

"What have I said about bringing people on board?" Miranda snapped stalling when she saw the man walking with Sara and Snart.

"So where is he?" the man demanded looking around, "Where's Rip Hunter?"

"He's dead," Miranda stated coldly folding her arms glaring at Sara and Snart who were both trying to look innocent.

Jonah Hex stalled, "What?"

"You didn't tell him?" Miranda snapped at the team.

"We didn't think he'd believe us, Miranda," Sara said softly.

Hex turned back to her, "You're Miranda?"

"Why don't you guys talk," Snart suggested before he motioned the rest of the team out.

Miranda frowned at him and Sara as they walked away before turning to the man standing there, "Have a seat."

x

"You know," Hex said, accepting the glass of scotch from her, "He talked about you a lot."

Miranda couldn't stop her smile at that, "Rip also talked about you too. He loved the coat you gave him."

"That he stole from me," Hex corrected making Miranda laugh.

"Typical," she shook her head sadly.

Hex took a drink before asking, "What happened to him?"

Miranda took a long breath, "He came home to warn me that a man called Vandal Savage was coming after us. We ran for the ship, Rip carrying Jonas. I reached safety and turned just as they were shot. Gideon stopped me running back to them."

"Jonas?" Hex asked gruffly.

"Our son," Miranda whispered, she unhooked her locket and handed it to him, "He was six."

Hex opened the locket, an unbidden smile touching his lips at the picture of Rip and Jonas together. He handed her back the locket and Miranda fixed it back around her neck.

"You do know he didn't want to leave," Miranda played with the locket, "But Calvert had to happen. He hated that he couldn't explain this to you."

Hex frowned, "So what are you doing here?"

Miranda's face hardened, "I'm going to save them. I recruited this team to help me."

"They're not exactly good at staying out of trouble," Hex noted.

"That's one of their best qualities," she smiled slightly.

Hex let out a bark of laughter before adding, "They've stirred up trouble with a group who won't let the insult go."

"Can we rely on your help?" Miranda asked.

He frowned before nodding.

x

"Gideon."

"Yes, Mrs Hunter?"

Miranda picked up her hairbrush and started pulling it through her long hair, "Did Rip really steal Jonah Hex's coat?"

"He liked to claim he borrowed the coat," Gideon replied, "With the intention of one day returning it."

Miranda chuckled before she sighed, "I don't know if I'm getting any closer to saving them, Gideon. It just seems like a mountain that's getting bigger every time I look at it."

"I understand," Gideon assured her, "But you are not alone, Miranda. The team are here for you but you need to allow them to help."

Miranda grimaced, "They're just so undisciplined and can't seem to understand they need to be careful travelling through history."

"You are the last person I would expect to remind people of the rules," Gideon reminded her, "Captain Hunter always said you preferred to think of them more as guidelines."

Smiling at the thought Miranda fixed her hair before sliding on the last of her outfit, ready to help fix whatever mess her team had made.


	3. Plans

"Gideon," Rip called as he readied himself to leave the ship, "If anything happens to me then I need you to follow Miranda's orders as though they were mine."

"Captain?"

"I intend on coming back," he reminded her, "I just..." Rip sighed resting his hand against the bulkhead, "If something happens to me I need to know that you will look after Miranda and Jonas the same as you would me."

"Of course I shall," Gideon assured him.

Rip took a deep breath, "I have to do it this time, Gideon. I can't survive losing them again. I can't keep doing this."  
"I know, Captain Hunter," Gideon soothed, "And I will ensure that your orders are followed."

Closing his eyes Rip rested his head against the wall of his ship, letting the thrum of the engines soothe him for a moment.

"We are here, Captain," Gideon told him, "Be careful."

Rip nodded, running the moment the door opened.

x

"I've got Jonas," Rip said holding their son close, "Get to Gideon and get the ship ready to go the moment we're onboard."

Miranda nodded quickly kissing them both before she started to run without looking back. Rip had Jonas, her priority was getting to the Waverider so they could get to safety. She could hear gunfire and explosions nearby but Miranda could see the ship and that held her focus. She quickly ran up the ramp, glancing back before she headed to the bridge just in time to see the bullet hit her husband.

"Rip!" she screamed when he staggered, starting to run back to them she saw the next bullet hit Jonas. Confusion filled her when she slammed into a force field, "Gideon? What are you doing?"

"Captain Hunter's orders are very specific in this matter," Gideon told her in a monotone.

Miranda shook her head, "I'm ordering you to let me go. I'm...I'm..." she trailed off when the world in front of her exploded and they were gone.

"No!" Miranda cried out in horror, "No, no, no. Gideon, tell me he's still there but hiding. Tell me they're there."

Silence filled the room Miranda's sobs all that could be heard before Gideon said very softly, "Captain Hunter's life signs are gone as are the life signs for Master Hunter."

x

Miranda couldn't breathe as the knowledge the love of her life and her baby boy were gone sank in. She looked up confused when the ship began to move, "Gideon, what are you doing?"

"Taking you to safety," Gideon replied quietly, "As per my instructions from Captain Hunter."

Wrapping her arms around herself Miranda continued to cry, not caring that she was sitting on the cold floor, not caring about anything anymore.

"Mrs Hunter," Gideon called, "Please come to the medical bay, I can give you something to help."

"I don't want anything to help me," Miranda snapped, "I want them back."

Silence filled the room again before Gideon said, "Captain Hunter had another plan if this did not work."

Miranda looked up confused, "What do you mean?"

"This was his eighth attempt to save you and Master Hunter," Gideon replied, "If this failed he had one final plan that was a great deal more extreme than his previous plans."

"What is it?" Miranda demanded.

"I shall provide you with full details after you come to the medical bay," Gideon countered.

Glancing up at the ceiling Miranda frowned, "That's not fair."

"Captain Hunter would agree with you," Gideon replied making Miranda laugh slightly despite her tears.

With a sigh she forced herself to her feet, "You win."

x

Miranda stared at the screen in front of her, "This is..."

"The word Captain Hunter used was extreme," Gideon told her, "But he was becoming desperate."

"The Time Masters will never go for this," Miranda whispered, "They will never agree to let me do this."

"They will not," Gideon confirmed.

Staring at the information in front of her Miranda mused over her options. Rip hadn't given up and managed to change her fate. She was not giving up, she was not losing them.

"Gideon," she said after a few minutes, "I'm not your Captain but I need you to follow my orders if I do this. Will you."

Gideon's avatar appeared, "My instructions are, if this happened, to follow your orders as though they are his."

Miranda smiled slightly, "Then let's head to pick up the first member of our new team."


End file.
